May 2026 marked a historic moment in American electricity generation: for the first time ever, solar energy surpassed coal on the national grid. The data, published by global energy think tank Ember and based on official monthly and hourly figures from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), captures a shift that few would have dared predict just five years ago.
Solar energy surpasses coal: the numbers that tell the story
In May 2026, solar covered 12.8% of US electricity generation, while coal fell to 12.2% – its fourth-lowest monthly share on record. In absolute terms, solar produced an all-time high of 45.5 TWh (terawatt-hours), up 17% from May 2025. Ember analysts expect this record to be broken again in the summer months ahead.
The contrast with five years ago is striking. In May 2021, coal supplied 19.7% of US electricity while solar accounted for just 5.4%. Today, those figures have essentially flipped.
Nicolas Fulghum, senior data analyst, EmberFor years solar power has risen in the US electricity mix. At the same time, coal power has lost its status – first as the largest source, and then gradually falling even further. Overtaking coal for the first month on record shows just how far solar has come, from a niche contributor to the third-largest and fastest-growing source of power in the US electricity system.
The third-largest electricity source in the US
Alongside the historic overtake of coal, solar also climbed to become the third-largest source of electricity in the US in May, behind only natural gas and nuclear. Coal generation had hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 TWh in April 2026. It rebounded slightly to 43.4 TWh in May, but that still left it 11% below May 2025 levels – not enough to keep pace with solar’s rapid growth.
This milestone followed another clean energy first: in March 2026, renewables collectively generated more electricity than natural gas in the US for the first time. Taken together, these two milestones paint a picture of transformation that few imagined would arrive so quickly.
Growing even in a coal-friendly political climate
Solar’s rise has not been slowed by the current administration’s energy stance. The Trump administration announced a $700 million programme to support coal-fired power plants and coal exports – but investors follow returns, and right now the returns are in solar.
Tellingly, 74% of all new solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026 went up in states that voted for Trump in 2024, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona and Mississippi among the top ten. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports that solar and battery storage made up 91% of all new generating capacity built in that same quarter. The US also surpassed a total of six million solar installations across all sectors.
Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of solar panel manufacturer Heliene, put it plainly: no matter what politicians say about coal, investors will put their money where the best returns are – and for power generation, that is solar.
A global wave that shows no signs of stopping
The American milestone does not stand alone. In 2025, for the first time in 100 years of global electricity history, renewables (33.8%) overtook coal (33%) in the worldwide electricity mix. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that by 2030 renewables will account for nearly 45% of global electricity generation.
For analysts, the message is clear: solar energy has proven it can hold its ground – and lead – even in an environment that does not favour it. With summer ahead, new production records in the US look more likely than ever.
